All people may be “created equal”, but not everyone has the same opportunity to succeed. That’s why “equity” in DEI plays a central role in creating diverse and inclusive workplaces. 

 

Equality assumes that all people should be treated the same – minimizing their differences. Equity takes into consideration a person’s unique circumstances, adjusting treatment accordingly so that opportunities are equal. In short, equity allows more fairness for more people. 

 

Sidewalks are an easy example. Created with the able-bodied pedestrian in mind, they were inaccessible for wheelchair users and parents pushing their children in strollers. Finally, curb-cuts were created, providing such users the opportunity to access something many of us take for granted. 

 

From a human resources (HR) perspective, equity focuses on ensuring that all employees have comparable access to career and development opportunities, fairness in pay and benefits, and are treated without favoritism or discrimination regarding work duties and responsibilities. 

 

That’s why it is baffling that the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), the largest human resources association in the world, recently announced that it is dropping “equity” from DEI and instead focusing on “diversity and inclusion”.

 

SHRM CEO Johnny Taylor Jr. says the decision was made because equity has “caused societal backlash and polarization” and “by putting inclusion first, we aim to address the existing flaws in DE&I programs.” It’s obvious SHRM made its decision because some people are uncomfortable with advancing equity in the workplace. What’s really concerning, is because of SHRM’s influence in the HR sector, its decision could have far-reaching implications in the workplace.

SHRM’s decision has predictively caused a firestorm in the DEI sector around the world. Comments on LinkedIn include: 

 

 

Equity recognizes the existence of systemic social inequalities or barriers and allows the introduction of proactive actions to achieve parity and equal opportunity in policy, process and outcomes for historically underrepresented or equity-deserving groups of people and diverse communities (e.g. women, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, persons with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, or other racialized individuals.) 

 

Equity ensures fair, inclusive and respectful treatment of all people, with consideration of individual and group differences by accommodating the needs of individuals and groups, recognizing that access to services, supports and opportunities and attaining fairness cannot be achieved by treating individuals in the same way.

 

Even seasoned DEI practitioners agree the sector is not perfect, but removing equity from the DEI framework is akin to throwing the baby out with the bathwater. This decision by Johnny Taylor Jr. – who ironically was appointed by former president Donald Trump to chair the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities – appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to the demonization of DEI by the political right that’s currently happening in the United States.

 

To a lesser degree, the same assault on DEI is happening in Canada. However, so far, the onslaught has not taken hold. 

 

Major banks, school boards, the federal government and (for the most part) provincial governments, still support the Employment Equity Act (EEA) that was established in 1995 to achieve equality in the workplace.  But with a federal election on the horizon and the leader of the Conservative Party being on record referring to DEI as “woke garbage”, things could change dramatically in Canada.

The EEA is clear: “equity means more than treating persons in the same way but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences.” Some people obviously see accommodating these differences as divisive and “polarizing”, but these are likely the same people who are unaware of the many privileges they have or are being, like SHRM and Johnny Taylor Jr., wilfully blind. 

 

Rather than removing equity from DEI, SHRM should have added an “A” for anti-racism, changing the acronym to “IDEA”, which DiversiPro uses in its work with numerous public sector agencies, private and not-for-profit organizations, media and law enforcement agencies.

 

Racism is alive and thriving in the workplace, with research finding that racial discrimination causes many physical and mental health conditions including cardiovascular disease, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and high blood pressure. 

 

Racism also has a negative impact on the productivity of workers, stifling creativity and damaging their motivation, commitment and loyalty to a company. 

If we truly want to create diverse, inclusive and productive workplaces, equitable and anti-racist policies and practices, must be part of any organization’s DNA and core values. Even it may make some people uncomfortable.